The Waite/Colman-Smith collaboration in the creation of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck

[Parzival]

The Waite/Colman-Smith Collaboration

As with the question of how much Shakespeare collaborated in his efforts, so it is with Pamela Colman Smith as collaborator --- answer hotly debated, answer unknown and unknowable. Even a Tarot reading won't reveal the truth of this question.(Joke)
Still, AE Waite gave her a strong note of appreciation :"[These ] Tarot cards have been drawn and coloured by Miss Pamela Colman Smith, and will, I think, be regarded as very srtiking and beautiful, in both their design and execution." Then he takes responsibility for the variations.( The Key to the Tarot,1999 Ed.,pp. 62-63.)

 

[Cerulean]

A slight hint in the term "draughtswoman"

or perhaps 'drafter'.

I was just sent Shadows of Light and Thoughts and here's the two quotes a little fuller than disclosed before...kind of hard to decipher, a little harder than picking out Italian keywords in translation to get his general thoughts:

P. 184 of my version of Shadows of Life and Thought: A Retrospective Review in the Form of Memories by Arthur E. Waite; ISBN 1-56459-242-1; Chapter XX: The Great Symbols of the Tarot

(Cerulean put in three paragraph breaks but the manuscript that is copied runs these all together--also edited later to reflect AEW's spelling*)...

"The Secret Tradition in Goetia was my first considerable work bearing the Rider imprint; but it was preceded in 1910 by a delightful experiment with the so-called Tarot Divinatory cards, otherwise dominated the Book of Thoth in the high fantasia of my old friend Eliphas Levi. Now in those days there was a most imaginative and abnormally psychic artist, named Pamela Coleman Smith, who had drifted into the Golden Dawn and loved its Ceremonies--as transformed by myself--without pretending or indeed, attempting to understand their sub-surface consequence. It seemed to some of us in the circle that there was a draughtswoman among us who, under proper guidance, could produce a Tarot, with an appeal in the world world of art and a suggestion of significance behind the Symbols which would put on them another construction than had evern been dreamed by those who, through many generations, had produced and used them for divinatory purposes. My province was to see that the designs--especially for the important Trumps Major--kept that in the hiddeness which belongs to certain Greater Mysteries, in the Paths of which I was travelling.

I am not of course intimating that the Golden Dawn at that time any deep understanding by inheritance of Tarot Cards; but if I may so say, it was getting to know under my auspices that their Symbols--or some at least among them--were gates which opened on realms of vision beyond occult dreams.

I saw to it therefore that Pamela Coleman Smith should not be picking up casually any floating images from my own or another mind. She had to be spoon-fed carefully over the Priestess Card, over that which is called the Fool and over the Hanged Man. As regards the last, an intimation had come to me throught the last source to which I should have looked on the score of willingness; and it remained with me, a seed planted in the mind and destined to unfold later. I have spoken elsewhere about golden apples and other strange fruits of a place byond the place which is seen by eyes of sense. It calls to be added that Sodalites like the the Golden Dawn are not chosen to eat of these...


P. 194-195

And this leads me up to my last point at the moment, having had to speak of these things not a little against my will in a Book of Memors. If anyone feels drawn in these days to the serious consideration of Tarot Symbolism they will do well to select the codex of coloured cards produced under my supervision by Miss Pamela Coleman Smith. I feel at liberty to mention these as I have no interest in their sale. If they seek to place upon each individuality the highest meaning that may dawn upon them in a mood of reflection, then to combine the messages, modifying their formulation until the whole series moves together in harmony, the result may be something of living value to themselves and therefore true to them. I am speaking especially of the Trumps Major.

It should be understood in conclusion that we are dealing here solely with pictured images; but the way of the mystics ultimately leaves behind it the figured representations of the mind; it is behind the kaleidoscope of external things that the still light shines in and from within the mind, in that state of pure being which is the Life of the Soul in God..."

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It seems to have been an experiment to Waite, one among many experiments? I was thinking perhaps in context, he was suggesting to the general public if they found the Rider-Waite-Smith colors or images in error in relationship to the "French Marseilles" or "Italian Milanese" or other patterns of historical tarot, Waite was telling them not to blame Pamela Colman Smith (I saw Waite spelled her name with an E) as the artist who was recording his experimental images.

Regards,

Cerulean

P.S. On the link below, it seems Waite's opinions were somewhat...questioned at times?

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/Waite.html

 

[Vincent]

Kaplan says:

"Certain scholars of the occult feel that Smith's contribution to the mystical qualities of the deck was far greater than has generally been recognized. Although the uniqueness fo the deck is primarily in the imagery of the pip cards of the Minor Arcana, Waite placed most of the emphasis on the Major Arcana, allowing Pamela more freedom in devising the Minor Arcana. The fact that a few of the cards resemble Pamela's previous works would indicate that she chose at leaset several of the images of the Minor Arcana. [...] The landscape and costumes in general are characteristic of Smith's work. Waite even failed to notice some descrepancies between the imagery on the cards and his descriptions in The Key to the Tarot. For example, he described four streams emanating from the chalice on the ace of cups, whereas Smith drew five streams."

Does Kaplan give any indication as to who these "certain scholars" are, and what their evidence might be?

That Smith's work on the Tarot bore a certain resemblance to her previous work is only to be expected, and doesn't really give an indication one way or another, as to who had the final choice of what images were to be included, or who conceived the symbolism.

Kaplan, saying that "Waite even failed to notice..." is assuming facts not in evidence. Yes, there are discrepancies, but is it really because he failed to notice what was on the cards?

Is that the only possible, or even the most probable, explanation?

Another example given by Lee concerns the Seven of Swords. Waite's notes on this are;
"Seven of Swords: "Divinatory Meanings: Design, attempt, wish, hope, confidence; also quarrelling, a plan that may fail, annoyance. The design is uncertain in its import, because the significations are widely at variance with each other."

The suggestion is that because Waite says the "design is uncertain in its import", that Waite is uncertain as to what has been drawn on the card. But, is this true? As always, careful reading of Waite is required. Import in this phrase is not a synonym for importance, import here means 'the message that is intended or expressed or signified'. Taking this into account, and looking at what the Golden Dawn have to say about the Sevens;

"The Sevens then shew a possible result: which is dependent on the action then taken. They depend much on the symbols that accompany them."

then it doesn't seem all that different from the GD definition.

He says something similar when he talks about the divinatory meanings of another Seven, this time, the Seven of Pentacles;

"These are exceedingly contradictory..."

I believe what he is doing here is giving a hint as to what may lay behind the Minor Arcana, or as Crowley rather unkindly put it, in his review of the PKT;

"...And do for God's sake, Arthur, drop your eternal hinting, hinting, hinting, "Oh what an exalted grade I have, if you poor dull uninitiated people would only perceive it!""[i/]

Kaplan also says, "Many of the Minor Arcana cards are, in fact, like details of a stage [Smith had worked in the theater as a stage and costume designer], with a plain ground and a low, decorated backdrop. [...] This effect is completely absent in the Major Arcana which would again indicate that the Minor Arcana were more Smith's creation than Waite's."

This is certainly possible for some of the Minor Arcana, though I don't think it can be true for all of them, and not even for most of them.

Some of the Minor Arcana have a depth of symbolism that would seem beyond Smith's 'known' occult knowledge. [It is, of course, possible that her occult knowledge may be far higher than has been documented.]

Take for example the Two of Cups, with its complex alchemical symbology of Sol and Luna, the Caduceus and the Red Lion. Is there any indication that PCS had any understanding of this sort of symbolism. We know for a fact that Waite had that sort of knowledge, because he wrote books about it.



Vincent

 

[Lee]

Does Kaplan give any indication as to who these "certain scholars" are, and what their evidence might be?

No, but I think it's important to keep in mind that Kaplan was probably referring to a context in which Smith's name wasn't usually included when people referenced the deck, and when many people weren't even aware that Waite didn't do the art himself.

That Smith's work on the Tarot bore a certain resemblance to her previous work is only to be expected, and doesn't really give an indication one way or another, as to who had the final choice of what images were to be included, or who conceived the symbolism.

I agree it doesn't give a definitive indication, but in the absence of hard proof, all we can do is speculate, which we're basically doing for the fun of it. Just about everything we say about the creation of the RWS deck is speculation, except for the most basic facts which we can glean from Waite and Smith's few words on the subject.

Kaplan, saying that "Waite even failed to notice..." is assuming facts not in evidence.

Yes, I agree, this does not pass the "proven beyond a reasonable doubt" test, but as I say, we're simply speculating in a desultory manner.

This [the depiction of several Minor cards as a stage set] is certainly possible for some of the Minor Arcana, though I don't think it can be true for all of them, and not even for most of them.

Here, Vincent, I'm sorry but I must disagree with you. That several of the Minors are drawn as stage scenes is much more than "possible." It's quite obvious and several commentators have spotted it. The horizontal lines near the bottom of many of the images can't be interpreted any other way (in my opinion) except as the bottom of a stage flat. One may of course speculate about whether Smith put that aspect in on her own (a reasonable speculation given her theatrical background) or whether Waite directed her to do it (unlikely in my opinion given his lack of theatrical background, I don't think it would even have occured to him).

Some of the Minor Arcana have a depth of symbolism that would seem beyond Smith's 'known' occult knowledge.

I agree with this. Another example besides the 2 of Cups would be the 10 of Pentacles, where the pentacles are arranged in the order of the Tree of Life. However, it's also true that these features are sort of grafted over the scenes on the cards and aren't integral to them, so it may have been that Smith came up with the basic scenes (a couple toasting each other, a family in a courtyard) and Waite instructed her to add the esoteric symbolism.

Given that Smith in 1911 (only two years after making the deck) converted to Roman Catholicism and completely dropped any interest in the Golden Dawn, one may speculate (again, this is speculation) that Smith was less interested in the esoteric significance of the symbolism and more interested in the theatricality of the rituals, a trait the Golden Dawn shared with the Roman Catholic Church.

-- Lee

 

[Vincent]

No, but I think it's important to keep in mind that Kaplan was probably referring to a context in which Smith's name wasn't usually included when people referenced the deck, and when many people weren't even aware that Waite didn't do the art himself.

That is an interesting claim. Is there any evidence of this?

I agree it doesn't give a definitive indication, but in the absence of hard proof, all we can do is speculate, which we're basically doing for the fun of it. Just about everything we say about the creation of the RWS deck is speculation, except for the most basic facts which we can glean from Waite and Smith's few words on the subject.

Yes, I agree, this does not pass the "proven beyond a reasonable doubt" test, but as I say, we're simply speculating in a desultory manner.

Just as Stuart Kaplan is speculating. You have to be skeptical when people don't give their sources.

Is it really true that PCS got little recognition? Her monogram is on every card of the deck, and Waite writes about her in glowing terms in the PKT.

And, since we are speculating; Stuart Kaplan is primarily a seller of Tarot decks. Isn't it possible that he is deliberately minimising Waite's contribution in order to promote the deck as;

"young psychic woman paints greatest Tarot deck ever, and has it stolen by dirty old man who didn't even like fortune-telling"

Especially when a huge slice of the Tarot market are young women who are more likely to identify with someone like the exotic Pixie Smith, than a pompous old fart like Waite.

Here, Vincent, I'm sorry but I must disagree with you. That several of the Minors are drawn as stage scenes is much more than "possible." It's quite obvious and several commentators have spotted it.

I can see that my writing was not clear.

I intended to say that the fact that some of the cards appear to be stage scenes, does in no way imply that PCS was responsible for the symbolism contained within those scenes, (especially when you consider there was at least one, and probably two, experts, in occult symbolism, involved with the deck).

I wasn't saying that the 'stage scenes' do not exist.



Vincent

 

[Cerulean]

Oh that was delicious!

I'm still slogging through "Shadows of Light and Thought" and bits of "A Pictorial Key" --- and there's a joyous, light-headed singing in my silly head as I read these words here:

"a huge slice of the Tarot market are young women who are more likely to identify with someone like the exotic Pixie Smith, than a pompous old fart like Waite."

Just my silly "I agree, I agree". But also, I am hoping to read more by the actual historian that Kaplan gives as one reference for Pamela Colman Smith in his Encyclopedia of the Tarot----Melinda Boyd Parsons. Maybe more information about her painting sources will also emerge.

I'm checking for books or publications by MBP.

Regards,

Cerulean

 

[Vincent]

Re: Oh that was delicious!

But also, I am hoping to read more by the actual historian that Kaplan gives as one reference for Pamela Colman Smith in his Encyclopedia of the Tarot----Melinda Boyd Parsons. Maybe more information about her painting sources will also emerge.

I'm checking for books or publications by MBP.

Apparently she is working on a biography of PCS, though no details on when it might be finished.
http://home.comcast.net/~pamela-c-smith/home.html

There is also Gertrude Moakley's book "The Waite-Smith Tarot" used as a reference. I have never been able to get a copy.

Kaplan also lists these people as having helped.

Dr. William Innes Homer, University of Delaware.
Peter Bunnell, Princeton University
Sarah E. Moore, James Madison University
Dr. Martha B. Caldwell, James Madison University.


Vincent

 

[Lee]

Is it really true that PCS got little recognition? Her monogram is on every card of the deck, and Waite writes about her in glowing terms in the PKT.[...] That is an interesting claim. Is there any evidence of this?

No, no specific evidence, just common sense. The deck was published for several decades without Smith's name in the title. I believe it's self-evident that there will have been many people who didn't bother to read Waite's book, who skimmed the LWB (in editions that had one) and just began reading with the deck. Unfortunately not everyone is as curious as to a deck's origins as the folks posting in or reading this thread.

Just as Stuart Kaplan is speculating. You have to be skeptical when people don't give their sources.

By the way, what evidence do we really have that Waite dictated to Smith every single thing on the cards, or most things, other than his vaguely worded statements which don't specifically say that he did? It just seems to me, Vincent, that while my theory requires a certain amount of speculation, yours does too.

A certain amount of common sense is required. Common sense says that when an author commissions an artist to create a tarot deck to the author's specifications, there will be plenty of things depicted on the cards which were not specifically dictated by the author (I say this as an author who has gone through this experience with a tarot artist). The artist will, because they are an artist, filter the author's requests through their own viewpoint and add their own little touches. Smith was most likely not simply an artistic stenographer taking symbolic dictation from Waite.

I intended to say that the fact that some of the cards appear to be stage scenes, does in no way imply that PCS was responsible for the symbolism contained within those scenes

Well, if you want to say "does in no way prove," then I would agree with you. But when you say "does in no way imply," I must disagree, I think it does imply that Smith was not simply taking symbolic dictation from Waite. I think it also depends on what exactly you mean by "symbolism contained within those scenes." Do you mean everything on the card, or do you mean the "important" action, or do you mean specifically occult symbolism like the design on the 2 of Cups or the Tree of Life on the 10 of Pentacles?

Vincent, I think to a certain extent we're talking in circles, since you've already said that there is a reasonable chance that my speculations concerning the Minors are correct. Also, I want to reiterate that I'm not trying to belittle Waite, I do believe he is the driving force behind the deck and certainly the source for the large majority of what we see on the Majors and the general direction and much of what we see on the Minors.

-- Lee

 

[Vincent]

I think it also depends on what exactly you mean by "symbolism contained within those scenes." Do you mean everything on the card, or do you mean the "important" action, or do you mean specifically occult symbolism like the design on the 2 of Cups or the Tree of Life on the 10 of Pentacles?

Yes, that is exactly what I mean, the occult symbolism.

My main point has been that it is not so simple as saying that Waite was responsible for the Majors and had little interest in the Minors. Or, even more extremely, that it was all Pamela Smith's work, which Waite took credit for.

There is also the puzzle of the "other help" that Waite refers to;

"Miss Pamela Coleman Smith, in addition to her obvious gifts, has some knowledge of Tarot values; she has lent a sympathetic ear to my proposal to rectify the symbolism by reference to channels of knowledge which are not in the open day; and we have had other help from one who is deeply versed in the subject."
Exactly who this person was, and what sort of help was provided, Waite does not specify.

Vincent, I think to a certain extent we're talking in circles, since you've already said that there is a reasonable chance that my speculations concerning the Minors are correct. Also, I want to reiterate that I'm not trying to belittle Waite, I do believe he is the driving force behind the deck and certainly the source for the large majority of what we see on the Majors and the general direction and much of what we see on the Minors.

Yes, I think we agree on most of this. As far as the evidence goes, I think it is the only reasonable conclusion that anyone could come to.


Vincent

 

[Zephyros]

I don't know much about the history and sources of the deck, I must admit.

However, its hard for me to believe that an eminent and pedantic a person as Waite could wake up one morning and say to himself "Well, I want to create something thats practically never been done before, and to do that, I'll vaguely tell an artist what I want and trust her to do a more or less good job."

As to his being a perfectionist pedant, one only has to riffle through the PKT to see that the deck was his baby. He must have had alot to do with it all.

Am I totally wrong?